installing a wood burning fire

suisidevw

I suppose it's what you find enjoyable Andy. I actually enjoy collecting logs on walks, it's good for one etc, chainsawing it up, splitting it, getting a roaring fire going. I'd much rather strike a match than flick a switch!

Jugs

Susiedevw, your fire looks really nice :-) i would love to have a go myself but dont really have the confidence, although we have the mantel and fire surround / hearth. Just love the crackling fire on a cold winter's evening.

suisidevw

Jugs wrote: »

Susiedevw, your fire looks really nice :-) i would love to have a go myself but dont really have the confidence, although we have the mantel and fire surround / hearth. Just love the crackling fire on a cold winter's evening.

It's actually REALLY easy if you're even half reasonable at DIY. can help out with advice if needed

suisidevw

andrew-b wrote: »

So your just a pyromaniac (Not that i can say i'm not!!). Least you'll never go short of burnt out matches for filling screw holes! Don't disagree that a roaring warm fire is nice but you have to know what your getting yourself into to actually keep it roaring. Each to their own but for me i suspect the novelty would wear off too soon to be worthwhile. Can see would be useful if the electric and gas go out but that's never happened to me yet.

Depends alot where you live though on availability of fuel. If you've got to buy wood at supermarket or garages because your living in an urban sprawl it's not very MSE and need to be considered to be a "luxury" (even if it is a throw back to a previous century).

Completely agree, when people are paying £80 for a builders bag it's rediculous etc! I get mine for free from teh woods or freecycle, it's not used as our main source of heating and gives a good atmosphere! I understand that some may not enjoy the work that is involved!

Jugs

suisidevw wrote: »

It's actually REALLY easy if you're even half reasonable at DIY. can help out with advice if needed

I might take you up on that offer

Gloomendoom

suisidevw wrote: »

Do it yourself? I went from this to the below myself and a sweep....... It's brilliant.

Pity you got rid of the carpet though.

suisidevw

Feel free to collect from the local dump!

deano72_2

iv got a 10kw double double burner & it just eats up the wood, upto £100 p/m in the really cold spells. so there not cheap to run.i went logging in the summer to try & stock up & its proper graft but a nice feeling of satisfaction now im sitting here with some nice heat pumping out.so worth you doing if your not affraid to graft for logs to cut down on cost

autismmum

we help out people clearing gardens , season wood for a year or so and take axes to it in the summer. good fun. our monthly gas bill is under 30.00 and we cook with gas , 4 bed (3 bath home 3 teenagers with long baths) the stove is heat for all of downstairs whaen it s going, we buy about ten bags of coal to supliment the logs and find burning them together is best for economy.

Baileyn710

Hi Guys,
I just stumbled across this thread when trawling the internet and it is really helpful.

I too am just in the process of converting my fireplace in to real open fire. I think it is the original fireplace from when the house was built in 1880, however it was at some point converted to gas. I have had the chimney swept although not smoke tested as I need to fit a new 18 inch chimney pot (which are a nightmare to get hold of in central London). The gas was disconnected about 10 years ago, and I have just removed all the old pipe work and gas fittings from the grate. However there is concrete brick at the back of the fireplace which is cemented in.

I thought this might have been to improve the fitment of the gas fire equipment, so I began to chip it away (cautiously at the edge first, as you can see on the pic at the top right), hoping to see the original iron fireplace behind. However it doesn’t appear that the fireplace has an iron back, and it looks like it could be a big hole behind this cement and brick. I am now wondering what to do with this rather unsightly brick? Should I remove it, only to find a big gapping hole I then need to fill again, or should I leave it? It does prevent me from removing the bottom grate, and it reduces the amount of fuel I could burn?

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I'll try and post a picture to assist.

Thanks for your help.